Senior House Republicans also argue that the oil industry's objections have stalled the bill.

Exxon and Chevron, insiders say, have been complaining to GOP leaders and other members that the legislation could potentially block them from doing business on projects that have Russia connections, hurting their bottom line.

Of course, between the usual jockeying by House Republicans and Democrats and efforts by the White House to give President Trump power to offer waivers to the sanctions when national security is at stake, there's plenty holding up the bill, which the Senate passed last month in a sweeping bipartisan vote of 98-2.

But for the world's oil majors, Russia remains a hugely attractive opportunity.

But opportunities for U.S. oil companies in Russia are fairly limited under sanctions imposed over Russian troops' invasion of the Crimea region of Ukraine.
...

While President Trump has indicated he would like more flexibility in dealing with Russian sanctions he has also indicated in his speech in Poland that he wants to export more US LNG to Eastern Europe. With his America First agenda and his goal of energy dominance, it seems unlikely he would want to see American firms helping the Russians develop their natural gas business and improve their pipelines to Europe.

It is also not clear that countries like Russia and Iran can restrain their expansionist ambitions enough to avoid future sanctions.

"It continues. Have seen gunships firing and heard much activity in the last few hours."...
The Iraqi claim is plausible. It is just the kind of thing that could be expected from ISIS forces. ISIS is in a desperate fight and appears willing to pull down all those around them as they lose.

Some injuries were reported and more than a dozen people were arrested after opposing sides clashed at dueling pro- and anti-Trump rallies, Berkeley, Calif., police said.
The liberals engage in projection by calling Trump supporters fascists, when it is in fact, their supporters who are sparking the violence in Califonia. There is a strain of intolerance for other points of view that is enforced by people dressed in black and their faces covered. They physically attack Trump supporters or other conservatives. These people may wear black but the are the Brownshirts of liberal fascism.

Fuel Fix:
OPEC producers took another 153,000 barrels a day off the market in March as part of its bid to drain the world’s oil glut.

In the cartel’s monthly report released Wednesday, independent sources reported the group of oil-producing countries has cut output by 1.1 million barrels a day since December.

Last month, Libya’s output dropped by nearly 9 percent, and production edged lower in the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran, Angola and other countries. Saudi Arabia raised production by 41,000 barrels a day.

That effort has pushed oil prices above $50 a barrel in recent months, breathing life into U.S. oil patches like the Permian Basin. U.S. crude rose 16 cents on Wednesday to $53.56 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, as traders reacted to media reports that Saudi Arabia, the cartel’s de facto leader, wants to see OPEC continue production cuts into the second half of this year.

But even as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries works to slow…